Canadian Hardwood Flooring

Getting the good stuff, north of the border

Canadian hardwood is a hot commodity - a lot of the wood that comes from our neighbors to the north is considered to be stronger, nicer looking, and generally just a better quality than much of the wood native to the United States. Why? Because most of Canada endures more extreme temperatures and weather conditions than us Americans do. Generally, this makes Canadian hardwood more durable.

An added bonus, according to the National Hardwood Council, is that Canadian hardwood floors are a renewable and recyclable natural resource because Canada re-grows twice as much hardwood as they harvest each year.

Top 3 Canadian flooring hardwoods

Sugar maple - This tree, found mainly in the southern regions of the country and the eastern provinces, is becoming increasingly scarce, causing the cost of that type of wood flooring to increase in price. Producing a light to medium brown colored floor, sugar maples are not only the trees from which maple syrup is made, but are also frequently used for furniture too.

Canadian red oak - This tree differs from its white oak cousin in a few ways. The red oak is light in color with a reddish tone, has an open grain, is slightly coarse, and, therefore, is more porous than the white oak. It is dense and maintains good water resistance. The Canadian red oak is also used in ship building.

Canadian white oak - This species has a whiter, creamy to light brown color, with a closed grain. Its distinctive long rays are what make white oaks so notorious for use in Mission style furniture. Slightly harder than red oak, the white oak is more durable. The high concentration of tannic acid in white oak makes it particularly resistant to fungi and insects, which is why it is also used for caskets.